Wet Pujas staring at N Bengal?

Siliguri, 28 September: North Bengal needs divine intervention to escape a wet Puja. Dark clouds and scattered rainfall at the start of the festive week have underlined how a heavy shower can play spoilsport.The heavy rains during the past two evenings have cast a dampener on the puja preparations. Idol makers in Siliguri are working overtime to dry the clay images and are seen using blowers to keep up with time. Rubbing salt to the wounds, paints are also taking more than the required time to dry up. Pandal makers and decorators are also facing a tough task to complete the structures with bouts of heavy rainfall causing a severe impediment.

The rains have also come as a dampener for many small traders who opt for seasonal business. “The showers during the past two days began when our sales were at a peak. The sales dropped drastically as many people returned home, when the rains begun,” lamented the owner of a garments’ store in Hawkers’ Corner.

Subir Sarkar, director, North Bengal University Weather Service Station, however, ruled out the possibility of a wet Puja in Siliguri. He said frequent rains over the past few weeks might have come as a dampener for traders, idol-makers, puja organizers, but the skies would not open up during the Durga Puja and disrupt festivities.

Mr Sarkar said though sporadic and scattered rains had caused a dent into the puja preparations and disturbed the free movements of puja shoppers in the Siliguri sub-division, rains were most unlikely to mar the puja celebrations this year.

The NBUWSS convener informed that there was no forecast of any depression during the pujas. “The few smart showers in the subdivision during the last few days were caused by monsoon clouds. But there is no forecast of any major depression in the sub-division during the three days of the celebrations nor is there any probability of a low-pressure trough over the area during the next week,” Mr Sarkar assured.

The met expert however warned that sporadic and scattered rains might cause a dent into puja celebrations and disturb the free movement of pandal hoppers in the region during Saptami, Ashtami and Navami. The skies may open up any moment during the puja and disrupt festivities, he cautioned.

Meanwhile, holding umbrellas many Puja shoppers had to wade through ankle deep water at several places in Siliguri on Friday evening because of heavy showers.

Businessmen and festival organisers were a worried lot. “A wet Puja will be a bane. We can only hope that it doesn’t rain,” they said.

But with Mahasasthi barely two days away, and several pieces of dark moisture-laden, rain-bearing ominous clouds hovering over the skies of Siliguri for most part of the day, the possibility of rains spoiling the pujas this year, indeed, looks very bright. sns

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